RHS Literary Magazine program receives grantThe Russellville High School Muse Literary Magazine program recently received a grant in the amount of $2,500 from the Walmart Community Giving Program. The RHS Literary Magazine program creates an annual magazine and this generous donation will go towards the printing cost for the 2014-15 school year, allowing RHS students to showcase their original artwork, photography and creative writing in a high-quality, prestigious publication. Each Apr...

Dover school board candidate Q&AEarly voting for the annual school board election begins Tuesday, and there are two contested seats in Pope County — five-year terms in Russellville and Dover. Last week, The Courier ran the Russellville candidates’ responses. The Courier sent questions to the five candidates for the five-year seat on the Dover Board of Education — Angie Billingsley Smith, Christopher Brown, Joe Race, Shawn Bates and Davie Noles. Four candidates’ responses are...

QC committee to gather cost detailsPope County Sheriff Aaron DuVall and Detention Center director Terry Bailey asked the Quorum Court during its regular meeting last week to appropriate $115,143 for medication, food and medical expenses at the PCDC for the rest of 2014. Subtract food costs, and the county will need a projected $88,252 to fund medication and medical expenses for the last five months of the year. And a projected total of $221,000 for 12 months will only increase ...

Schools see enrollment jumpsStudents are exceeding their teachers’ expectations once again — not only by quality, but by quantity. The Russellville School District reported an enrollment jump of 163 students over the previous school year. As of Friday, enrollment totaled 5,232 students, an increase from 5,069 students on Sept. 5, 2013. Superintendent Randall Williams said though the growth is exciting, it creates a strain on the schools. “The growth of enrollment is enco...

News Briefs (Sept. 7, 2014)Hatley Fire Dept. pig roast Sept. 20 The Hatley Rural Fire Department will conduct its annual pig roast on Saturday, Sept. 20 at the Hatley Fire Department on State Highway 164 East at Dover. The meal is donations only and will be served at 5 p.m. Live music, door prizes and lots of food will be featured. For more information, call (479) 747-4472 or (479) 747-9174. Harvest Run 5K The first Harvest Run 5K is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sat...

New CPD to open next yearCLARKSVILLE — Despite rain delays, construction of the new Clarksville Police Department is nearing the halfway mark. "I'm very hopeful it will be complete by February or March [2015]," Chief Greg Donaldson said, adding construction began in the spring. In 2011, Clarksville residents approved a 1-cent sales tax which funded a bond that generated $17 million. The bond money was used for construction of the 12,500-square-foot police department a...

Resident proposes bike trailDARDANELLE — A Dardanelle resident voiced her concern for local bicyclists during Tuesday's Dardanelle City Council meeting. Teresa Waldron proposed the city construct a bike trail in Dardanelle for safety and convenience. "I have a real concern for a safe place for people in our community to ride bicycles," Waldron said. Waldron said she enjoys taking her grandchildren to ride their bikes, but it is unsafe to ride along the highway or streets...

Clarksville woman dies in crashALMA — A Johnson County woman was killed in a single-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon in Crawford County, according to an Arkansas State Police report. Sue Watson, 71, of Clarksville was driving a 2003 Ford Explorer south on Interstate 49 near mile marker 22 in Alma when the accident occurred. Watson lost control of the vehicle around 3:12 p.m. when the tread on one of tires separated, according to a report. "The vehicle traveled off the ri...

Students embrace ShadowDOVER — After months of searching, Deborah Starr presented her Alternative Learning Environment (ALE) students with a class therapy dog. "The students' reactions were priceless," Starr said. "Students go home talking about all they get to do with Shadow and how much he helps them cope with the pressures of the school environment." Shadow, a half Australian shepherd and half blue heeler dog, is four months old. "He is a very smart breed," Starr...

Bond hearingsThe following individuals appeared during felony bond hearings Friday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear Oct. 6 in Circuit Court. • Brittney West, 27, two counts of delivery of a controlled substance — $10,000. Through two transactions over the past six months, West sold more than 5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant working wit...

Relay changes to be announcedThe word “new” will be used often during Rally for Relay at the 5:30 p.m. meeting Thursday at the Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce. During the meeting, a number of changes will be announced for the local 2015 Relay For Life event, said Leigh Ann Veach, co-chair of the 2015 event. Relay For Life is the signature fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. Rally for Relay is for anyone in the community who wants more information abou...

Arkansas Recycling Coalition to convene 24th Annual Conference and Trade Show Sept. 29-Oct. 1 Those wishing to participate in the Arkansas Recycling Coalition’s (ARC) 24th Annual Conference and Trade Show are being urged to make plans now to attend. This year’s conference will be held at Best Western Inn of the Ozarks and Convention Center in Eureka Springs Sept. 29-Oct 1. Titled “Recycle Arkansas,” the important annual gathering will give attendees the opportunity to hear from some of the best presenters in the recycling/sustainabilit...

News Briefs (Sept. 5, 2014)City of Russellville urban deer hunt The urban deer hunt for the city of Russellville begins Saturday and will run through Jan. 31, 2015. For more information, visit the city website at www.russellvillearkansas.org or contact Mike Vernon, Director of Animal Control, at (479) 968-1944. Eagles tailgate party to benefit ACH The Eagles Aerie 3928 will host a tailgate party featuring wine and cheese, finger foods and a bake sale from 5-7 p.m. Satur...

Dover steps closer to fitness trailDOVER — The Dover City Council approved during its regular meeting Tuesday applying for a grant that would fund construction of a fitness trail at Dover Primary School. During its August meeting, the council showed its support of the project but took no action until after the Dover Board of Education approved it. The school board gave Lt. Barry Walker of the Dover Marshal's Office its support of the project during a meeting last week. "Since l...

Driver charged with homicide in log crashCLINTON — Jerry Hickman was charged with homicide in connection with the June accident that killed two construction workers — one from Pope County and one from Crawford County — and injured 19 people. Hickman, 39, of Bee Branch was driving a log truck near the Archey Fork Creek Bridge on U.S. Highway 65 in Clinton around 3:18 p.m. June 2 when one of the tires blew out, causing the truck to overturn, according to a police report. Ricardo Troche...

Green and Gold ATU prideWith the new academic year now underway at Arkansas Tech University, a group of community supporters is encouraging area residents to display their green and gold pride. The ATU Connection Committee of the Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce has developed a list of suggestions for ways that local businesses and individuals can show their support for Arkansas Tech: • Fly a Tech flag • Welcome students on signs/marquees • Employers and employe...

Police Department pulls back curtainThe Russellville Police Department (RPD) will begin its annual Citizen’s Academy on Sept. 30. The eight-week program, which is scheduled to end with a graduation ceremony on Nov. 18, is designed to give local residents a better understanding of how the police department works. “The idea of the program is to pull back the curtains and let people see behind the scenes of the police department,” RPD Public Information Officer Drew Latch said. “We...

Quorum Court eyes automationIn an effort to save printing and copying costs, the Pope County Quorum Court discussed going paperless during its regular meeting Tuesday. Justice of the Peace Ben Cross explained the County Clerk’s office spends approximately $172 a month to print out and copy agendas, ordinances, budgets and other items for Quorum Court members, department heads and the media. “Each month, we’re all receiving emails of information we need for our meetings,”...